My daughter ( 8 years old) spent her first week away from home at Cub Creek. She loved it. Her only…read morecomplaint is that at check in they only had adult size tee shirts. She enjoyed it so much we are already signed up to attend for a week next summer!

I absolutely do not recommend this summer camp for any children or those seeking employment. The…read morebiggest concern I've seen and heard time and time again is the severe limitation on children contacting their parents, creating unnecessary stress for the kids and leaving families with little insight into how their children were actually doing. What little programming there is the campers are not able to engage with due to the chaos of poor leadership. I was gravely disappointed to hear about how staff members were treated, as the work environment felt toxic, unsupportive, and disrespectful, making it difficult for employees to do their jobs effectively and even driving many to quit each summer. Among the questionable treatment of the animals, there have been multiple medical emergencies (gone unreported to the parents of these campers, mind you) where the camp offered underwhelming response. Thank goodness my niece doesn't have any conditions but I'm seriously concerned about camper safety overall. This camp prioritizes maintaining its image over the well-being of both campers and staff, and restricts parent communication. Regardless of how much fun your child may have at any summer camp, this camp is not worth the risk of their safety.

This camp is top notch! The facilities are second to none in MO for sure and possibly the region…read more The cabins are awesome, the food /cafeteria is amazing and the staff, wow!!! your child will love this place and you will too. God is surely in this place.

My son has gone here many times with church. Very nice place and I feel he was safe while there.read more

The Endangered Wolf Center has been on my bucket list for years. I was thrilled to be able to…read moreattend a "Howl at the Moon" Friday evening event. We lucked out with the weather being warm and clear. The staff were very engaging and knowledgeable. We enjoyed sitting around the campfire and learning about all of the animals. They have laminated pictures of the animals and tell you about their behavior and how they collaborate with other groups (government, ranchers, etc) to promote a thriving ecosystem. After the education, we quietly walked a short way down a trail to literally howl and hear the wolves (and foxes?) howl back. We were not disappointed. It sounded like a large, wild kennel. Afterwards, there were s'mores by the fire pit. We even saw a bonus animal slither past us. I would definitely recommend this experience to anyone open to learning more about animals. Wear clothes and shoes that can get a bit dirty so you can be fully relaxed. We also applied lots of bug spray when we arrived.

This has been a hidden secret for decades. I was born and raised in the area and my mother lived…read morehere her whole life and did not know about it until I saw it in the AZA reciprocity list. They had a golf cart and private driver to accommodate me and my my moms mobility needs and we saw so many great foxes and wolves. They have plenty of room for them to roam making it like a natural habitat. Also nearby is Lone Elk Park (free) and the Wild Bird Sanctuary (small fee) worth checking out.

I spent 3 summers working here as a college student, and just got back from volunteering for a 5…read moreday session with 7 & 8 year old kids. This camp offers kids from any income level the opportunity to go away to camp. They can learn to swim, climb a tower, perfect their artistic talents and so much more. The leadership program includes wilderness adventures of hiking and canoeing, takes them on college visits, lets them experience how volunteer service feels and gives them to skills to get to a job at the end of the 4 year program. While the kids think they are just having fun, the real goal is to give them the skills and desire to further their education...college or vocational...and break the cycle of poverty. It also is a wonderful work experience for young adults. Teaching them responsibility, exposing them to diversity and hopefully influencing their attitudes about the potential of all children if they are just given the opportunities and skills needed to succeed. If you are thinking of sending your kids to camp, SFC is a nurturing environment that will challenge them. They'll walk through the woods and sing songs around campfires. They'll make friends and learn the value of teamwork. They'll spend hours in the library and try new foods. They'll grow up with camp their second home. Start them young and keep sending them back.

All of my kids have been going through their program. Two of them have completed their program and…read moreare moving on to counselors in training. Not sure where they would be without the experience and leadership training that they received!

My son had the best time at this summer's beginners wheel camp. He absolutely loved it. I enjoys…read morehow it was not over packed and he was with other kids in his age range only. We will do more classes here.

It started out bad from the moment we arrived. We were completely ignored by the people working…read morethere, so we just stood there waiting for direction. Finally someone sitting at a table told us what to do. After about 15 minutes, one of the people working there came over to us and began giving us directions on how to work with the clay and a few utensils they had to use on the clay. He kept saying, just do whatever you want to do with the clay, and we didn't know what our options were "to do with the clay". When I asked for examples of what we could do, they really had no examples, and he pointed to work that was on the shelves that other people had done. It was very frustrating. We felt like little kids given some play doh. So we were supposed to get a call when our projects were done, no phone call. I finally called and our projects had been done a couple weeks prior. When I went to pick them up, they were on a shelf outside the studio, so I had no interaction with anybody when I went to pick our projects up. I would not suggest anyone go to this studio. They run it like a kids play doh class??

Strong Tower Ranch is an awesome place that helps kids who need it the most. They have day camps…read moreand horsemanship programs and offer sponsorship for those who wouldn't be able to have this type of opportunity otherwise. I've known several kids who've had wonderful experiences there, and return year after year. Many have gone on to become mentors and leaders at the ranch and in their communities. The Ranch also rents the property for private gatherings. The property is gorgeous with a lake (beach, swimming, fishing, kayaks, paddle boats, and canoes), open fields, horse pastures, trails, pavilion, kitchen, nice restroom and shower facilities, bunkhouse, RV and tent sites, and much more. There's even a beautiful butterfly garden! Over the years, our family has rented the property for graduation parties and family reunions, and I've attended several special events there. I highly recommend them for their kids' programs and private use of the amenities!

From the owner: Strong Tower Ranch is a Christ-centered refuge offering hope and mentoring to youth, especially…read morethose at risk. Our Mission: We feature horsemanship and day camps with the goal of providing quality programs that are entertaining, character building, and rehabilitating. "Strong Tower" reminds us that we have a mighty fortress in Christ. We want children, teens and adults who come here to find love and refuge from a harsh world. We are non-denominational, non-profit and dependent on prayers, financial support and volunteer help. How Can We Serve You? Located on 107 acres in Foristell, Missouri, we are prepared to host programs and events for area families, churches and civic groups. The Horsemanship program serves children from age seven and up, teens, and adults. The Day Camp program serves children ages 8-14. People come to volunteer expecting to be a blessing and leave saying they received more than they gave. The training for those who serve in programs is very valuable, especially to young people (15+) who wish to develop leadership skills. If you would like more information about our programs, summer mission trips, volunteer opportunities, or property reservations, send us a message.

I couldn't help but notice that any negative reviews were under the OLD management. Danyel and Matt…read moreNEW management have done wonders for this facility in so many ways. The knowledge, love and compassion that they have for each and every horse there is impressive. They bring new life to this facility that it was in desperate need of. They are the hardest working barn managers that I have ever met and I have boarded my horses for over 20 years. They have put their heart and soul into making sure that this barn is safe, pleasant and well maintained. They are professional, knowledgeable, compassionate, empathetic and go the extra mile in everything that they do. The care that they provide is amazing. I guarantee you that Danyel knows every horses name and special needs on that property. She takes a lot of pride in the services that they provide and it shows. The facility is very clean. They also offer lessons and training which I highly recommend. Danyel personally trained one of my rescue horses that came from horrific conditions of neglect and abuse. When we first brought him home you couldn't even get close to him without him striking out. He was terrified. After 90 of him being with Danyel she was riding him bareback around the property. He went on to become an amazing horse. She was gentle and kind with him and asked him all the right questions. He responded to that. I highly recommend her for training.

I had my horse at valley mount ranch from August 2024-February 2025. we moved closer to my house…read morefor a few months then came back to valley mount. we LOVE the atmosphere at valley mount ranch. There is very little-no drama and everyone I mean EVERYONE is so so kind and respectful. we have never had any issues here. Danyel and Matt are the best people. they are the only people(along with my boss) that I 100% trust with my horses. 100% reccomend valley mount.

Grateful doesn't adequately capture our family's appreciation for Camp Jumpstart. Our daughter,…read morewho also struggles with an intellectual disability, was given an enormous gift this Summer -- the opportunity to reclaim her sense of self-worth and build life long healthy habits. She was a camper for eight weeks and her personal transformation was remarkable. She gained much more than the 23 pounds she lost -- confidence, discipline, new friends, a set of "tools", and a sunny outlook on life. She is committed to continuing-on with what she's learned at camp and we are supporting her by fully modeling and adopting the same lifestyle. Thank you Jean, Jeremy,,camp staff and counselors -- you are life savers. Jean - your good name is invoked regularly at the kitchen table. To anyone considering this camp: we found this to be a safe and exceptionally well-run organization. Important caveat: Jean expects full engagement not only from the campers but also from parents and siblings as well. That was a deep attraction for us!

Camp Jump Start is an absolute blessing to those that attend, as well as the families of the…read morecampers. We were feeling desperate and scared...we knew change had to happen for our daughter, truly for all of us in the family....and it needed to happen outside of our home. When we found Camp Jump Start we knew it was our solution. The environment of unyielding encouragement, focus on self awareness, positive emotional mantras and the ability to find resilience in herself has changed her. From the very first phone call after one week, we could hear the change in her voice....the hope in her words. It literally brought us to tears. She left camp after 4 weeks, having lost 20 lbs, but looking like she felt 100 lbs lighter, with a spirit of accomplishment that allowed her to know she could do "it"- whatever it was. Jean and her staff at Camp Jump Start truly care about making change, one child at a time. The mission is clear, unyielding, supportive and successful- in so many more ways than numbers on a scale. They have our continued support, gratefulness and recommendation.

Has anyone else experienced their child coming back from camp saying they started experiencing…read moresychosis and hearing voices, sounds and such? Just curious if this was coincidental or if something happened. My son said he had fun at the camp other than this so I found it weird.